Speaker:Carla Chalhoub, Head of Access Services, American University of Beirut Summary: Presented the subject: REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Project

1. Resource Sharing in
Times of Crisis
Carla Chalhoub
Head of Access Services
American University of Beirut Libraries

2. Resource Sharing
No library can be self-sufficient in
meeting the research needs of its
patrons! Resource sharing between
libraries is essential on local, regional,
and international levels to maximize
access to information.
Types of Materials:
1. Returnable: print books, print
journals, audiovisuals, …
2. Non-Returnable: journal articles,
newspaper articles, book chapters,
excerpts, …

3. Pandemic
SARS-CoV-2
Libraries CLOSED their physical premises
worldwide. No physical items can be
borrowed/loaned via interlibrary loan in most libraries.
Currently, some libraries have resumed interlibrary
loan services for physical items. In Lebanon, this is not
possible given the total lockdown imposed by the
government.

4. Can we
reinstate
interlibrary
loan services
for physical
items in
Lebanon after
the
lockdown?
YES & NO
WHY?

5. REopening Archives, Libraries,
and Museums (REALM) project
REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums
(REALM) project is a collaboration between
OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library
Services, and Battelle to provide scientific data
that helps us understand the virus.
QUARANTINING BOOKS: Safest, easiest and
least expensive way to limit the potential spread
of the virus.
REALM resources for reopening:
https://www.oclc.org/realm/resources/libraries.html

6. REALM does not give
recommendations; it
provides scientific data to
help us make informed
decisions.
Libraries have to develop
their own policies for
reopening, each according to
its own context!

7. Considerations:
Safety Issues!
• Did the lending library quarantine the
books that had been lent to users?
• Did the staff wear PPE while executing the
check-out?
• Is the lending library liable in case the
borrower catches the virus after borrowing
an item?

8. Non-Returnable
Materials
• Library patrons had to find alternative to print
resources. The number of Interlibrary Loan
requests has increased for non-returnable
materials.
• Whenever an electronic book could not be
borrowed via interlibrary loan, faculty
members were encouraged to find alternatives
from our collections. If this could not meet
their research needs, then the acquisitions
department checked the possibility of e-book
purchase.
• Some publishers provided, or are still
providing, free temporary access to some of
their e-resources.

9. RSCVD: Resource Sharing during
SARS-CoV-2
Launched by IFLA DDRS (Document Delivery and Resource Sharing)
section, RSCVD is a tool to help interlibrary loan professionals
during the pandemic. https://rscvd.org/
• Free interlibrary loan
• ANY not-for-profit libraries can benefit
• Worldwide

10. AUB Statistics
AUB Became a Volunteer
and an Associated Partner
with RSCVD!

11. Pandemic &
Lebanese
Financial
Crisis
Request avenues for free access to non-
returnable materials:
1. RSCVD.
2. OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan.
(Consortium agreements ie. AMICAL, LVIS…)
3. LISTSERVs.
4. Colleagues.

12. Document
Delivery –
Fee-Based
If requested material cannot be found free
of charge, we order from the following
suppliers:
1. SUBITO 6 EUROS/article.
2. National Library of Medicine (NLM)
12$/article.
3. OCLC WorldShare ILL (Fee varies
between libraries).
4. Publisher (Fee varies between
different publishers).

13. OCLC WorldShare ILL Subscribers
• ACOV: Libraries supplying electronic documents during the COVID-19 crisis.
• BCOV: Libraries supplying e-books during the COVID-19 crisis.
• CCOV: Libraries supplying physical collection during COVID-19 crisis.

14. When in Doubt ASK A
LIBRARIAN!

15. References
Mayo Clinic (n.d.). Coronavirus [Digital image]. Retrieved February 1, 2021, from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/symptoms-
causes/syc-20479963
New profiled group CCOV joins ACOV and BCOV. (2020, July 21). Retrieved February
2, 2021, from https://www.oclc.org/en/news/announcements/2020/new-profiled-
group-ccov.html
REALM test results in visual format. (2020, December 19). Retrieved February 2, 2021,
from https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/realm/documents/visual-aid.pdf